Saturday, November 30, 2013

It's my turn to share a kit at the 12 Kits of Occasions Blogand I had so much fun planning it and then sending it out! Kara made this amazing photo collage of it ( I put it on the "extra large" setting because it's such an awesome collage) and she even gave it a title! :) All of the supplies you see are listed HERE.

As soon as I saw Echo Park's " 'Tis the Season" patterned paper collection with a chalkboard theme, I knew it was the 6x6 pad for me! As I mentioned on the 12 Kits blog already, I used this sheet of paper from the pad to give me ideas for all of the elements to include in the kit such as stamped images, sentiments, and die cuts.

Oh that Scottie dog caught my eye! So up first is this cute one from Pink Persimmon!

I thought he would look perfect jingling along in the snow in his rhinestone collar and houndstooth coat. That is one of my favorite sentiments that I own! It's a wood mount stamp from the former A Muse Artstamps :)

Then it was time to get chalky! This is the new Chalk Background from Hero Arts with the charming 2011 Heirloom Ornaments from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

And now for the amazing sentiments! These are new from A Muse Studio, a cling set called "It's a Wonderful Life," and they stamp so beautifully! I added some "chalk" detail around the words with a white pencil. This background stamp is so authentic...just a little white ink on dark cardstock and you get the perfect vintage chalkboard look.

Time for some tags! This one uses another fave image of mine...the "Xmas Stocking" by Anna Wight for Whipper Snapper Designs. It's hanging from a sweet, tiny new Memory Box die called "Festive Lights" and is paired with another sentiment from "It's a Wonderful Life."

Speaking of Memory Box, I fell in love with this gorgeous Deer Collage stamp from them while shopping at my fave little stamp store "One Little Spark" in Tuckerton, New Jersey this summer :) It looks regal with the L'il Inkers Snowflake dies and a silver-embossed sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Festive Foliage set.

I colored with the C1 and C3 Copic markers...and turned him into Rudolph!

Now for another great Memory Box find...this little tag cut with the Pocket Tag die! Perfect to slip a little something in...we tried a gift card which didn't quite fit, but some dollar bills did :)! I "Stickled" up my favorite candy cane from Waltzingmouse Stamps' Sewing Box-Christmas, and placed it on the outside pocket. I actually cut 2 tags with the die and used patterned paper for the pocket flap (it's glued over the original black cardstock flap). The cute reinforcer piece is cut with a die included with the tag.

More pencil detailing on this sentiment from A Muse Studio's "It's a Wonderful Life." The PTI Holly Jolly dies are sugar coated with Martha Stewart's clear coarse glitter.

Another fabulous Hero Arts Stamp, the Pen & Ink Christmas Tree paired with a sentiment from their new clear set "Banners and Messages."

I detailed this with white pencil but then coated over the top of that with a Sakura Stardust pen...very shimmery in the sunlight!

This next tag got away from me a little bit, hee! It's very dotty!

The tree is embossed with a Sizzix dot folder and then I colored each one with a chalk marker.

The little tag and heart are both made from wood veneer and then painted. The heart is from Studio Calico and the tag is made by Ball Jars. I used a beautiful new sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps new "Seasonal Flourish" sentiment set.

Last but not least, another beloved retired wood mount stamp from A Muse Artstamps (also purchased at One Little Spark a few years ago)...Snow Gent (and his Starbucks cup, hee)! with a sentiment from "It's a Wonderful Life." The tree and snowflakes in the background are from Papertrey Ink's "In the Meadow" stamp set.

So there you have it! I think I am having kit letdown now! Luckily, I have tons of inspiration from these ladies coming up and the stamp sets to try their ideas out! All of the supplies for this month's kit are listed on the 12 Kits of Occasions blog HERE. You can also find us on Facebook HERE and our Pinterest page HERE.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Ever since I saw that this month's Papertrey Ink blog hop was a little paper house challenge, I wanted to play! Little houses just are the happiest of things! I thought that I would run out of time, but I had a little while to play after work and before the girls came home from school. I am really glad I didn't look at everyone's entries first 'cause I would have backed out, heee! There are some amazing ones to see!!

I used a template dated 2009 that I had copied from Brenda Quintana's blog. The roof is stamped with images from the new Confetti Garland Borders and embossed with white powder. The edges are inked with Fresh Snow ink.

The tag is made with the Tiny Tags stamps set and dies. The paper is a woodgrain sheet from A Muse Studio.

It was so much fun to make this teeny lopsided house :). I can't wait to visit all of the other little paper houses in the neighborhood! Thanks for stopping by today!

Had to keep the Christmas theme going! I used the Little Lanterns set, and stamped one on a brand new coordinating die cut. The patterned paper is from Echo Park's "Reflections Christmas" collection, and the embossing folder is from Lifestyle Crafts.

The sentiment is from Seasons of Love-Tagsand the holly leaves from Bright Season. The snowflakes are cut from PTI's Linen Vellum using the L'il Inkers Snowflake dies.

You will have only 24 hours to complete the other four challenges which are

1. "Thanks" or Thanksgiving card or project

2. Christmas card

3. Make a tag

4. Christmas decor

*You will have extended time of one week to upload your Bedtime Story sketch creations HERE !

There are prizes to be had, too! From Claire's blog..."After the links close we will choose a random project to win a spot prize of £10 store credit! If the randomly chosen winner has used WMS goodness of any description, (and we include freebies in this challenge,) in the winning project the winner will double their prize and receive £20 store credit. "

The sentiment inside is from Alpine Christmas and the sweet little leaf border is from another of my all time favorite Waltzingmouse sets My Heart.

THEN.....

I actually bought a mason jar and painted it with glass chalkboard paint to match!

I actually tried to write on it with chalk, but it didn't come out as clear or as "fancy" as I liked ( I really hate my writing)! So I made a "cocoa" stencil from cardstock using PTI's Headline Alphabet dies. The letters are colored with a white chalk paint marker.

So that's where the cheating part came in...the actual home decor/gift packaging ended up without any stamping, please forgive me :)!!

While this wraps up the last day of featured projects, tomorrow night is the Waltzingmouse Stamps Pajama Party hosted by Claire! You can get started on your projects and all of the information is HERE. Claire will also be posting her new Bedtime Story (sketch challenge) then.

Just wanted to say thank you SO much for visiting this week and for the lovely comments that just made me smile from ear to ear! Looking forward to more Christmas projects these next two months, my favorite ones to make all year!

This time I stamped Folk Art Medallion in the background in white to look like a snowflake. I paper pieced the center reindeer "harness" by stamping it on another piece of paper in black then coloring it and cutting it out.

Then it was time for some more fun with the Festive Foliage die cuts and some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists! First I ran paper through my Cuttlebug with striped and pine bough embossing folders, then sprayed them with Glacier and Guilded Gold mists.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Back again for more Christmas inspiration with Waltzingmouse Stamps, featuring new stamp sets, newly released dies, and some old favorites!

Today we are all focusing on Christmas cards and I chose to use two of the new die sets. I am in love with these dies. They cut perfectly and leave just the right amount of fade around the stamped images making for such a professional look!

Those holly leaves and berries pair perfectly with the gorgeous label from Very Vintage Christmas. The berries tuck right inside those little scallops! The label was stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with black powder. The pieces were cut with Nestabilities (first a circle, then a petite scalloped circle).

Claire will also be releasing two more amazing sets which you will be hearing about (and seeing) SOON, as well as MORE new die sets that coordinate with some of your favorite Waltzingmouse Christmas sets! Then we will conclude with a Pajama Party on Friday. You can view the details on Claire's blog and get a head start on making some of your projects HERE.

Today we are focusing on Alpine Christmas, the gorgeous new set that Claire just released in the store last week. It's such a unique one, unlike anything in my collection. Those mountains make me "ooh" and "ahh" every time I take out the set! AND, this set is the first one featuring her new coordinating dies!

For my first project, I stamped the scenic mountain range and village in some soft blues and browns. In real life this reminds me of a vintage postcard.

Stamped the village twice and added some Stampendous Crystal Snow on the mountain tops...and rooftops! I love each and every sentiment she included, just as charming as all of the images. Isn't the font so gorgeous?

Next up is a card fit for a gingham girl...:)

I adore the little cottage and the snowman scene! I stamped the trees and snowman in Versamark and then heat-embossed them in white. Did a bit of masking and added the red cottage.

Added some white pencil coloring to add to the snowy, blustery feel :)

Be sure to come back tomorrow as there is more Christmas fun to be had! Until then, visit these Design Team members who will be featuring Alpine Christmas today...

Sunday, November 3, 2013

It's time for some fun with The Challenge Chicks, and I get to be the hostess this month! I came up with the idea to make a thank you card but with a twist...to use this sketch that I created. I must say that I drew it up on a piece of paper, and Diane created this lovely graphic to match it!

Here is my card...

I heat embossed a combination of sentiments, the thank you from Wplus9's Fresh Cut Florals and the phrase underneath from Waltzingmouse Stamps Say it Loud.

I added some detailing with a white pencil, then stamped over the entire piece with Hero Art's awesome new Chalk Background...love it! The little flowers to match the October Afternoon "Working Girl" patterned papers are also from WPlus9's Fresh Cut Florals.

Now it's your turn to play along with the sketch! Upload your creation to Splitcoaststampers using the keyword "CHXNOV13" or link your blog post to our Facebook page HERE.